Reconcilable Differences

Your hosts begin unpacking some of the things it took them too long to realize

John has thoughts on how home chefs overcomplicate Italian recipes, and Merlin administers a pop quiz.

What starts as quick Follow-Up leads to a discussion of UNIX history, culture, and philosophy.

As a main topic, your hosts begin unpacking some of the things it took them too long to realize. Merlin provides several very interesting examples, and John does not.

But Merlin does not hold it against him.

(Recorded on Tuesday, January 23, 2024)

"Spread your wings and let me come inside"

Merlin misspoke. The amazing variant of the Haunted Mansion he was thinking of is at Hong Kong Disneyland.

So, to this day, over forty years later, whenever someone complains that "everyone already knows this" or they whine about how "everyone has already seen this," I always think the same thing: Every day, somebody's born who's never seen The Flintstones.

John shares some updates on "Secret Weird Things [Other] People Do,"

John thinks Merlin is wasting his time trying to tune his news consumption, and Merlin reveals that he knows more than you'd probably think about women's fashion.

In Follow-Up, a listener has questions about applying BFF to anime, and John offers a response that Merlin finds almost useful. Merlin shares some FU on both his late father and chapter markers.

Merlin is struggling in a shell, and John thinks a lot of people could probably benefit from learning UNIX from the bottom-up.

John shares a quick update on the Britishisms that are crossing the pond—even in the world of reality TV.

Next, up John has some updates on "Secret Weird Things People Do," collecting a few links to threads that, to varying degrees of credulity, address similar secret weird things.

Your hosts are both reminded of a memorable All in the Family scene that pretty definitely counts as one of the SWTPD. Because footwear has an order of operations you never notice until someone else does it weird.

For this month's members-only bonus show, John interrogates Merlin's new sobriety.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, January 9, 2024)

On the complexities and frustrations around seeking medical help. Especially when it involves more than just finding an egg.

Things kick off with some TV talk and a consideration of sane and civil ways to watch TV with a partner.

In Follow-Up, there's more on this whole chapter markers issue, but honestly it's all a little difficult to follow because of the way time works chronologically.

Merlin has been doing a lot of stuff with computers, and John reluctantly admits that at least JSON is better than YAML, but that's not really saying very much.

As a main topic, your hosts talk about the complexities and frustrations around seeking medical help—especially when the medical help one needs falls outside the interest, curiosity, or expertise of a given medical professional.

And especially when the help you need concerns your brain and doesn't just involve finding an egg and calling it a day.

(Recorded on Tuesday, December 19, 2023)

Paul Karason (November 14, 1950 – September 23, 2013) was an American from Bellingham, Washington, whose skin was a purple-blue color.

You people are gonna feel like such dingalings when you finally realize and accept that this is one of the great films.

For all the talk about how psychedelics might transform psychiatric care, there's still a fascinating question at the heart of psychedelic science. Is it the mind-blowing experience that fundamentally changes a person’s outlook on life? Or is it the powerful molecules that rewire the brain?

Bedlam!

The main topic this week is ideal versus actual holiday plans.

"Suggest podcast chapters for this episode. Aim for 15-20 chapters overall. Try to name the chapters descriptively and split them apart when the script moves between topics, themes, or vibes. Where possible, name the chapter using an unusual phrase or sentence that someone said during that particular chapter. Try to make sure there’s a new chapter marker at least every three minutes."

(Recorded on Tuesday, December 12, 2023)

"In a 1998 poll conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, 'Genesis of the Daleks' was praised by fans as their favourite Doctor Who story of all time."

"Pretty sweet infill sampler.

Ladies?

"Badass. This is gonna be so handy."

Merlin's networking is not working, John continues to be vexed by UK speakers, and they both can't stop talking about the software and services that ostensibly exists to help them watch moving pictures on the TV.

Merlin's networking is not working, John continues to be vexed by UK speakers, and they both can't stop talking about the software and services that ostensibly exists to help them watch moving pictures on the TV.

(Recorded on Thursday, November 28, 2023)

Your hosts return to topics around AI—with a focus on the new class of wearables intended to bridge the gap between meatspace and The Great Intelligence.

Things kick off with John trying to figure out how Merlin's ping-pong ball thing works.

Merlin has Follow-Up on The Flop House, and John fondly recalls how he used to name capes.

As a main topic, your hosts return to topics around AI—with a focus on the new class of wearables intended to bridge the gap between meatspace and The Great Intelligence.

For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts discuss the 1997 movie, Contact.

Tune in to find out whether Merlin has properly completed the assignment. You pay for the whole seat, but you'll only need the edge.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, November 14, 2023)

As a main topic, your hosts officially introduce their concept of "Best, First, Favorite" (or "BFF"). An exegesis ensues on the distinctions and purposes of this powerful new Thought Technology.

Things kick off with Merlin catching John up on the various conditions that have recently been causing so much compression in his life.

Merlin cops to a fevered reverie that contributed to his purchasing some fonts. John thinks Merlin's wife should have been warned he'd eventually own and operate a Segway.

In something like Follow-Up, John has a RecDiffs-related assignment for Merlin. Merlin agrees to try and stay in compliance with John's aggressive timetable.

As a main topic, your hosts officially introduce their concept of "Best, First, Favorite" ("BFF"). An exegesis ensues on the distinctions and purposes of this powerful new Thought Technology.

At length, BFF is applied practically to the oeuvre of The Original Peaches.

(Recorded on Thursday, November 2, 2023)

The episode of The Talk Show podcast where Merlin talks about the ridiculous Xfinity service outage graphic.

Not just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check with Griffin & David reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects.

We play Top Four: Greatest Laptops of All Time. And, just like with the real Top Four, everyone is playing their own version of the game. Simultaneously. 😵‍💫

Elliott Kalan, Dan McCoy, and Stuart Wellington watch a bad movie and then talk about it.

Walter Hill has made several great movies in his career. Is Bullet to the Head one of them? Meanwhile, Stuart unveils a new impression in his repertoire, Dan inspires a discussion about the horrors of gorilla sex, and Elliott keeps missing our special celebrity guest.

What happens when a movie that feels like it was written in 1984, and was inspired by the 2000 election, is made in 2008? You get Swing Vote. Meanwhile, Dan reveals an uncomfortable new use for tweed, Elliott explains his new game show, and Will busts out the world’s most accurate Paul Schrader impression.

With movies like this in the world, every day is like Cagemas. Meanwhile, Elliott discusses the troubles with carrier Con Air, Dan makes reference to commercials you’d only see if you watch cable news in the middle of the day, and Stuart’s giant penis reemerges for spring.

Hey, you guys ever think to yourself, “I like Toy Story, but I wish it could be more commercial, ugly, and frenetic?” Welcome to Foodfight! Meanwhile, Dan points out the movie’s one “goof,” Stuart brings it back to “Just One of the Guys,” and Elliott introduces his new “Southern Tin Tin Enthusiast” character.

Includes the first salvo in what would evolve into "dingdonggate."

see also: Words that Sound Like Other Words

In this movie pitch (never officially called a pitch, but pretty clearly meant as a film) the guys spin a yarn about an old Southern woman who loves the comic book character Tintin (pronounced "Tantan" due to her accent.) The film will be credited to writer Tentennessee Williams. According to Dan, she is his "most favorite character who exists in the world! This old lady who doesn't exist: an old lady southerner who loves Tintin."

Repeatedly since Episode 53: Hannah Montana: The Movie, host Stuart Wellington has insisted that a "ding-dong" is ripped off during the course of his oft-recommended movie Castle Freak. He cites it as a prime reason to watch the film and as an attraction comparable to the classic scene in The Invisible Maniac in which a guy gets choked with a submarine sandwich.

"Whoa, whoa whoa—did Sly Stallone just walk in here?"

Your hosts talk about pronunciation and BFFs.

Merlin was laid low by a virus that made him a little insane, so he forgot to post this episode. Luckily, John believes in him.

In this episode, your hosts talked a lot about pronunciation and BFFs.

For this month's members-only bonus show, John has questions about Merlin's new 3D printer.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Wednesday, October 18, 2023)

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 3, 2023)

Marry: ˈma-rē

Your hosts discuss Station Eleven and strategies for surviving a given apocalypse.

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 3, 2023)

At the heart of the show is a graphic novel, created in-world by a character named Miranda Carroll (played by the exemplary Danielle Deadwyler). Titled Station Eleven, this graphic novel binds key characters together and acts as a crucial through-line in its ten episodes.

John introduces an unusual work-from-home practice. Which leads to your hosts wondering how they would row across the ocean in an open boat.

Things kick off with another segment of Pronunciation Corner plus an interrogation of some newfound Britishisms.

In Follow-Up, John has accomplished a love match, but he is asked to please pay in cash. Also, apparently Merlin quit Twitter.

There's also some pretty good material about the terrible working conditions on Sodor, and John shares a novel retirement strategy.

For this month's members-only bonus show, John has questions about Merlin's 3D printing journey.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, September 19, 2023)

Merlin's little guys 👈

(Recorded on Tuesday, September 19, 2023)